Unexpected city's NHL bid takes major step as financial packet reaches league and construction begins

Vernon Krause's group behind The Gathering at South Forsyth is reportedly moving into a new phase of its long push to bring the NHL back to Atlanta.

According to an email sent to residents near the development, the team behind the project says it has secured financing for a potential NHL franchise and has submitted a final packet to the league for approval.

The email also lays out a construction timeline for the site.

Grading and leveling work reportedly began on September 1st and is expected to run through January 31st, 2027.

Once that phase wraps, construction on the arena and surrounding buildings would begin, with an estimated 27 month build.

The full site is expected to be developed in phases over the next seven to ten years.

If the timeline holds and the arena reaches completion around May 1st, 2029, the earliest realistic season for a team to hit the ice would be 2029-30.

That is still years away, but it gives fans their first real sense of a runway.

There is an important catch worth remembering here.

Under the memorandum of understanding between the developers and Forsyth County, the arena portion of the project cannot move forward in phase one without NHL approval first.

The league has not confirmed that Atlanta is being awarded a franchise, and commissioner Gary Bettman has not said the NHL is entering expansion mode.

Still, this is about as concrete as the Atlanta expansion chatter has gotten.

Between the financing update, the submitted packet and dirt already moving on site, the Forsyth County bid looks further along than ever.

Hockey fans in the region have plenty of reason to keep watching closely.

Also read on House Of Hockey :
Frank Seravalli says Connor Hellebuyck agreed to trades involving three teams